Occupational Health

Occupational health nursing protects workers by preventing exposure, identifying work-related illness early, and coordinating a safe response when injury or exposure occurs. The nurse does not assess only the worker; the task, agent, route, duration, and workplace controls are part of the clinical picture. Common hazards include solvents and fumes, infectious blood or respiratory secretions, excessive noise, vibration, radiation, repetitive motion, manual lifting, violence, fatigue, and other psychosocial stressors. A hazard becomes a clinical risk when the worker's exposure is sufficient to cause harm. The same chemical may pose little risk in a closed system with effective ventilation but substantial risk during an unprotected spill. The hierarchy of controls determines the preferred response: 1. Elimination removes the hazard. 2. Substitution replaces it with a less hazardous process or substance. 3. Engineering controls isolate the worker from the hazard, such as a sharps-safety device, enclosure, or local exhaust system. 4. Administrative controls change scheduling, procedures, training, or staffing. 5. PPE creates a barrier between the worker and the hazard. PPE is necessary for many tasks, but it is the least reliable...